(Closed) Cat fights :(

I have had Henry for 6 years. Most of the time he is sweet and cuddley. Except when he is stalking/beating up his cat sister Hazel. Ive had Hazel for 4 years and just think that at this point, they should be able to get along. Alot of the time, its quiet. They sleep in bed with me and will eat right next to eachother. But thats as much interaction as they have had together. I have never seen them play together. But I have witnessed Henry stalking and pouncing on her…ALOT. She is pretty tough and scares him off a bit, but after 4 years I would think that he would be used to her. I get the feeling that he is jealous (ie, if they 3 of us are playing, he will give her a look and she will run away). Anyone else have this?? Im not scared that he is going to hurt her as he has had the chance.

I have a white cat named Trina who just hates all of the other animals in the house. The only cat she will allow near her is our black cat Ash but even then, it has to be on her terms. She is super sweet and cuddly with humans, but just doesn’t like the other pets, so she stays out of their way. I think some cats just have that temperment, as long as they aren’t hurting each other, I think it’s fine.

My cats have a huge age different. I have a 10 year old and a 4 year old. The 4 year old loves to play fight, but the 10 year old gets really annoyed.

Sometimes it excalates and they do hurt each other (especially if I don’t keep their claws trimmed). However, sometimes I will catch them sleeping together or grooming each other… so for me I think it’s just a “sibling fighting” thing.

I’d rather they be annoyed at each other than be lonely and depressed.

I wouldnt say that they sleep “together””. Right now, she is sleeping onl the top of the couch and he is directly under her on the cushions. But I think thats cause Im sitting here and they just want to be with me. And when we sleep at night one sleeps on each side of me. Ive never seen them together unless Im around

Lil hazel will go up to him and give him licks but after a minute hes had enough and will pounce on her 🙁

Pounces on her aggressively? As in to hurt her? Or is he simply pouncing on her and she doesn’t like it? Because my two cats play fight all the time and its never to hurt each other. every once in a while one isn’t in the mood and will get pissed and we have to intervene. Someone who didn’t know better would think they were fighting. But we know that they aren’t. there’re a chance he just plays rough and means nothing by it?

This behavior is normal, please keep in mind that, unlike dogs, cats are normally loners, in the wild lions are the only feline species who live together so, particularly if your male cat is not desexed, it’s perfectly normal for him to not be impressed that he has to share his territory….when 2 cats are put together in a house one of two things will happen. They may be best buds or an invisible boundary will be drawn and they will simply tolerate eachother

The fact that she chases him off makes it seem more like play aggression than actual aggression, or at least that she’s not being harmed by it. If he had her running scared all the time, it would be more concerning. Cats make a lot of noise when they fight, and it can be hard to know if it’s real or all in fun. Has he ever actually hurt her or drawn blood?

DH and I each had two cats when he moved in with my family early in our relationship. “My” (family pets) two boys tolerated one of his two girls, but one of my boys and one of his girls did NOT get along, to the point we had to keep them separated when we were not able to supervise them. My boys got along well most of them time, although they did fight on occasion that seemed to be mostly either in fun or occasional sibling rivalry. Three of the cats have since passed. Even when we were down to just two, they didn’t get along.

DH never believed me that it was HIS cat that would start every.one. of the fights. Seriously, my cat would be on the couch between us while we watched TV, his cat would jump up on his lap and be fine until she realized my cat was there, (and he would be totally ignoring her), and then would flip out growling and hissing. My boy would just look at her like, “What is your prooblem?” Hehehe…she wasn’t so bright, but DH loved her, (my cat is a Maine Coon, so he was a lot bigger than her, and he was more than capable of winning any fight she wanted to pick, but she still tried).

After DH’s cat died, we fostered a female cat, (and later adopted her), and they got along fne. Not to the point of snuggling, playing, or mutual grooming, but slightly beyond tolerating each other, (they would sleep on the guest bed near each other, etc). Finally proved my point that it was DH’s cat causing the problem, (he always insisted my cat was just a jerk!). If we hadn’t had to leave my boy behind when we moved out, (he stayed with my parents since he was a family pet, and a senior with developing hip problems that would make our new home difficult for him), they may have eventually gotten to the next level of kitty friendship.

Anyway, I’ve realized I just rambled quite a bit…but the point I was trying to make is that cats don’t have to be best friends to coexist. As another poster said, the species would normally live alone, only coming together for reproduction. When humans make cats live together, they will usually develop a social heirarchy, (hence the “dirty look” your male sometimes gives your female when she’s getting too much of “his” attention). Just like humans, they will have arguments now and then. Sometimes they like to fight for the fun of it, (think of siblings wrestling). If your cats can be best friends, that’s awesome, but it doesn’t always happen, and that’s okay, too. Your female doesn’t seem like she’s being terrorized, (bossed around a bit, yes, but it doesn’t sound like she’s living in fear of your male and his attacks). If you are truly concerned, watch some “My Cat From Hell” episodes for some great ideas on helping promote harmony in your home. But just remember, NOBODY gets along 100% of the time.

You said you aren’t worried he’s going to hurt her, then I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve had cats who slept, ate, groomed, and played together who (looked) like they were going to tear each others throats out at times but never hurt each other.

If they aren’t hurting each other, this is actually how cats “play”. Or keep their kitty skills in shape. As Miss Apricot said, if she chases him off and doesn’t seem scared by it, it sounds like play.

also wondering how aggressive the attacks are. If there isn’t hissing and screetching and scratching it is entirely possible they are just playing. We have two cats that pounce on each other and wrestle but they are just playing and it isn’t something we worry about at all.

There is hissing and she screams….I honestly dont think its play. No blood has ever been drawn. Sometimes I think he is like that bigger kid on the play ground that thiinks he is playing, but is actually hurting everyone he plays with cause he is bigger.